The Devil's Vessel
by Spunky0ne
Summary: When Byakuya is abducted and the hogyoku is stolen from Aizen's body, the three worlds stand on the brink of a demon invasion. What can stop the evil that is already on the doorstep?...yaoi, mpreg...Aizen/Byakuya, Ichigo/Tetsuya
1. After the Fall

**The Devil's Vessel**

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: After The Fall**

Byakuya knelt quietly on a small rise under his favorite sakura tree, looking down over the rushing waterfall, the gently rippling lake and waving grasses below him. As twilight approached and the air cooled around him, he breathed in slowly and deeply, grateful for the return of tranquility to the Seireitei. Although well aware that months, and perhaps years, would pass before the scars to the land and people of the three worlds would heal, it was pleasing to have returned out of the cold sands of that dead world and to again breathe the sweeter air, and to mark the passage of time by the slow crawl of the stars and moon across the midnight blue sky…to hear the sounds of birdsong and cicada, the splashing of koi, and soft swish of wind through the trees.

He still felt the soft, nagging twinges of pain in his healing body, the reminders of his battles with the Espadas…then his unscripted, no-holds-barred exchange with the barbarian captain of the eleventh division. If he had to choose one that had brought him the closest to death, it had to have been the last. And sadly, they hadn't been able to take their fight all of the way to its natural conclusion. With Aizen's fall and the opening of the pathway back home, they had been forced to label the match a draw…because both were still standing…just barely, but standing.

He knew well that such a battle could never have occurred in the Seireitei or even in the living world, but in the vast, unmonitored, closed off world of Hueco Mundo, and with time on their hands after easily crushing the strongest remaining Espada, they had finally been able to loose their full fury upon each other as they had always longed to do. He had to admit that although it had been stopped too soon, it had cured him of much of the built up frustration he had carried in having to constantly deal with such an undignified colleague.

They hadn't even had to concern themselves with witnesses reporting their questionable duel, because they knew that Captain Kurotsuchi would show his appreciation for their silence on the matter of his looting Szayel Aporro's lab by saying nothing of the illegal battle he had carefully watched (waiting to see if one of them would provide him with a corpse to study…). Renji had been unconscious throughout the fight, Isane too busy healing him and most of the others too busy with their own problems to mind what they were doing. And if Rukia saw anything, she knew better than to breathe a word of it to anyone. While it was an annoyance to Byakuya to have been stopped prior to the death of one or the other, certainly the news of Aizen's fall made up for the inconvenience.

Because if Aizen _had_ triumphed, he had promised to return to Hueco Mundo to deal with each of the trapped captains at his leisure. So considering death was a likely end anyway, they had figured there wasn't much reason to play it safe and get along.

"Lord Kuchiki?" his attendant's voice said quietly from somewhere behind him, "Your bathers are ready for you now."  
Byakuya nodded and came to his feet, then turned back in the direction of the manor, his young cousin following in his wake. They passed almost silently through the quietly whispering trees, through the shadowed gardens and into the opulent bathing house near the end of the main building.

Inside, Torio undressed the clan leader and stood waiting as two additional male attendants appeared and followed Byakuya into the warm water. The noble sighed contentedly and let his eyes run around the calm, tranquil expanse of the room…the careful use of landscape and lighting used to create an indoor garden, bathing pool and waterfall. It was like still being out of doors, and it let him enjoy that same feeling even as the winter months made the outdoors too cold for such a thing. And as much as he felt at ease with bathing himself, this particular evening, it seemed a pleasant indulgence to feel the gentle caress and deeply massaging fingers of his bathers.

A hundred years before, during his days as a much less disciplined youth, he had felt such things too invasive (to the point where he had often avoided the bathing house during the day as much as possible, and sneaked out at night to attend to the task himself), now they soothed him into a calm, easy state.

"Arigato," he said quietly as his bathers bowed respectfully and left him.

He strayed out, then, under the warm waterfall and stood beneath it, looking up through the tempered glass ceiling at the blanket of stars and bright moon overhead. He remained there. letting the water run down his pale, slender form until his eyes began to droop sleepily. Then he turned and made his way back across the calm waters, where Torio dried his dripping hair and body, and dressed him in a soft, pale blue yukata. Torio followed him out of the bathing house, across the garden, and to the open doors of his bedroom.

"Good night, Brother," Rukia said from the entry to her own room, several doors down.

"Good night, Rukia," he replied softly, watching somewhat wistfully as she turned away and she looked so much like her late sister as she walked into her room and closed the door.

He stepped into his own room, letting the warm tones and the pleasant, light scent of sakura lull him as Torio pulled back the covers on his bed and stepped back, allowing him to climb into his bed and settle down.

"Good night, Lord Kuchiki," Torio said, bowing.

"Arigato, Torio," he answered placidly, "You are dismissed."

He listened to his attendant's retreating footsteps in the hallway and then the manor fell nearly silent. Byakuya closed his eyes, breathing slowly and letting himself drift slowly off to sleep.

Out in the gardens and around the perimeter of the huge estate, the nighttime guards stood solemnly at their posts, their eyes slowly scanning the shadowed trails and walkways, and their senses carefully extended, searching for any odd fluctuations in the reiatsu around the manor. Not that any was to be expected. In fact, there had been very breaches of the manor's considerable defenses over the years, and all of them during times of out and out war. There was even less expectation of it now that peace had fallen once more over the Seireitei. Add to that the overwhelming power of the Kuchiki clan leader and the need for concern nearly seemed to disappear. Yet the guards stood ready, as guards had stood prepared for hundreds of years, overseeing the safekeeping of the noble inhabitants there.

The head of house security, a small, deceptively slight looking man with quicksilver eyes and a reputation for his swift sword and attention to detail, Tsutomu Mori walked nightly from guard post to guard post, checking in on the night detail on a rotating schedule known only to him.

Yet for several weeks following the fall of Sousuke Aizen, a pair of dark, red eyes had followed the pathways, habits, schedules and protections around the Kuchiki clan leader. Skillfully masked reiatsu had hidden this one chosen to observe, to note and to carefully catalog. And when the time was right, to invade…

He approached the guard placed farthest out from the others, in the area near the waterfall and waited until his back was turned. On silent feet, the odd hollow, closed the distance, then focused for a moment and, let his body fade into a dark, menacing mist. He passed silently and unnoticed into the guard's body, making the man suddenly quiver and jerk somewhat fitfully. A moment later, the guard's mind was put to sleep and the hollow took over all of his functions.

He waited then, inside the possessed guard's body until footsteps sounded softly on the forest path and Tsutomu appeared on the trail.

"How goes the night?" the head of security asked.

"Quietly, sir," the hollow answered in the guard's voice, using the response he knew that Tsutomu expected, "All is well."

Even as well prepared as the hollow invader was, Tsutomu sensed that something was amiss and drew his zanpakuto. The invader almost didn't make it out of the possessed guard's body and into the head of security before Tsutomu's blade found its mark and the dead guard fell. Tsutomu managed a strangled cry and tried to turn his weapon on himself, but the invader's mist form swelled beneath his skin, quickly overwhelming his mind and taking control. Smiling, he turned the head of security's possessed body back in the direction of the manor. He continued Tsutomu's rounds, making sure that there was no reason for anyone to question his behavior. Reaching a break in the head of security's duties, he slipped into the main building of the manor and walked quietly down the hallway to the attendant, Torio's bedroom door. He tapped lightly on the door frame and met the sleepy eyes of Byakuya Kuchiki's young cousin. He wasn't expecting the second youth, who sat up next to Torio. The young man looked familiar, but had likely been someone beneath noticed. Torio looked back at Tsutomu as the hollow made the head of security give the two a stern glare.

"What is the meaning of this, Torio?" he asked, "Guests are supposed to be approved by house security before…"

"It's just Rikichi, sir," Torio assured him, "He has been cleared for entry and overnight stays by Lord Kuchiki, himself. The master is aware of our association and has no objections to it."

"Of course," said the hollow, remembering then the quiet subordinate from the sixth division.

He imagined one more weakling would hardly make a difference in their plans.

"Is something wrong?" Torio asked, "Does Lord Kuchiki need me for something?"

"Hai," said the head of security, "He says he is feeling ill and needs some ginger tea. You can get it for him, and Rikichi, you will please come with me."

"Oh, yes sir," Rikichi said, rising and reaching for his shihakusho.

"You needn't dress," the hollow assured them, "This won't take long."

He watched as Torio disappeared down the hallway, then motioned for Rikichi to walk ahead of him. A flash of kido rendered the sixth division subordinate unconscious. The hollow carried the youth into another bedroom and left him there, while he slipped into the kitchen, rendered Torio unconscious and placed him in the room with Rikichi. He moved on to the clan leader's bedroom and stepped inside, making his way noiselessly to Byakuya's bed and leaving Tsutomu's body lying on the floor. He turned himself into mist again and seeped out of Tsutomu, then rose over the bed and sank down into Byakuya's sleeping form.

The clan leader came awake almost immediately as the odd, cold feeling of invasion reached him and he fought to maintain control of himself as the hollow attacked his mind. He would have called for help, but the hollow was careful to first overcome his ability to do so, then gained control of his body and finally overwhelmed his mind. As the noble finally fell under his spell, Byakuya's body quivered and fell into the floor. The hollow listened carefully for sounds of anyone being roused by the sound, but all remained silent. He settled then into Byakuya's body and stood, then dressed in his uniform. Making his way back to the room where he had left the two youths, he roused them and told them to come immediately with him. He led the two out of the manor, through the gardens and up to the waterfall, then took his zanpakuto and slashed the sky.

"What? Sir!" Rikichi gasped.

"Do not worry," Byakuya assured his subordinate, "We are going on a secret mission into Hueco Mundo for the head captain. You two are to attend me while we are there. Come."

Not knowing what else to do, the two youths followed Byakuya through the garganta that had opened and into the underground cavern. They ran to keep up with him as the noble crossed over into the world of the hollows and turned towards the ruins of Las Noches. They balked at entering through the guarded gates of the fortress, but the guards allowed the noble to pass without challenge, so they felt they had no choice but to follow. Byakuya led them in through the large double entry doors, where they were met by a creature that looked to be some kind of horribly powerful demon. The creature smiled chillingly at them, then turned his attention to Byakuya.

"You may exit his body now, Kiri," the dark creature said, looking at Byakuya.

Torio and Rikichi gasped in dismay as a dark mist left Byakuya's body and the Kuchiki clan leader slumped to the floor, unconscious. Rikichi's hand went to his zanpakuto, but the demon in front of them glowed with intense spiritual pressure, leaving the two youths unable to move.

"We need to borrow your master," he told the two, "but you will care for him while he is with us."

Guards surrounded them and quickly fitted the two with reiatsu suppressing collars and confiscated their weapons. The guards lifted Byakuya and carried the noble into one of the bedrooms, where he was laid in bed and also fitted with a restraining collar.

"Your collars will allow you access to the hallways and kitchen areas, but you may not leave the fortress. Your master's collar will not allow him to leave the room he is in. You are to make him comfortable for the duration of his stay, but do not leave, and do not attempt to assist him in escaping…or we will not hesitate to kill you!"

Torio looked as though he wanted to respond, but Rikichi touched his arm and shook his head slightly. He stepped in front of Torio and looked the demon in the eye.

"We will do as you have commanded, because you have made no move to harm us or our master, but if you attempt to harm him, we will resist."

The demon laughed softly.

"You are a good and intelligent subordinate…"

"Rikichi," the young man said, stepping back, "and this is Torio, Captain Kuchiki's attendant."

"Very well," said the demon, "Rikichi and Torio. You have my word that I have no plans to harm you or your master. We simply require his services with a certain task. As soon as it is done, you will all be returned safely to the Seireitei. Now, I must leave you. I would suggest not straying as the guards may attack you."

The two youths watched silently as the demon left the room, then ran to the bed and immediately tried to rouse the noble. Byakuya did not respond for some time, but finally began to stir and slowly came awake.

"Lord Kuchiki!" said Torio worriedly, "are you all right?"

"Except for being taken from my bed and imprisoned here, I am fine," the noble assured them, "Are the two of you all right?"

"Yes, Captain," Rikichi assured him, "We were not harmed."

"Do you know how the manor was breached?" Byakuya asked, sitting up and shaking his head to clear it.

"It was a strange hollow," Rikichi went on, "It was able to turn its body to mist. I think it possessed Tsutomu, and then it went into your body and brought us all here."

"Ah, that is right. I remember it taking over my body and then I lost consciousness. Did they say what they wanted?"

"No sir," Torio said softly, "They only said that they had a task for you to do, and that the two of us were commanded to care for you during your stay here. We are able to move around within the fortress, but your collar confines you to this room."

"What should we do, Captain?" asked Rikichi.

"You should do as you have been told. Do not violate their orders or they will likely kill you. I will attempt to discover an escape route. I will tell you when I am ready for us to attempt escape. But while we are here, I want you to use your senses and learn all that you can. I want to know why I have been brought here. You have more mobility, more ability to seek that information than I do."

"Yes sir," the youths said together.

"Do you need anything now, sir?" asked Torio.

"The sooner you need something, the sooner we can start snooping for information," added Rikichi.

Byakuya nodded.

"Water, then…and something for a headache. That won't be likely to arouse suspicion after what we encountered in being brought here. Learn what you can and return quickly."

"Hai," the two youths said.

Rikichi glanced at Torio.

"You stay here with Captain Kuchiki and I will go and get the water and medicine and look around."

"Okay," said Torio, "I will look after Lord Kuchiki. Just…be careful, all right?"

Rikichi gave him a warm smile.

"I will be fine," he assured Torio, "Captain Kuchiki has had our entire squad trained for such things. I'll be back soon."

But even after Rikichi left, Torio's face registered concern for his lover. Byakuya's eyes softened slightly and he motioned for Torio to sit down next to him.

"Do not be concerned for Rikichi," he said bracingly, "He is well trained. I want you to focus on keeping yourself safe. We do not know why these hollows have brought us here and we need to watch out for each other. I do not know if they are aware you are a relative, Torio, but if they are, they could use that against us. Keep a guarded tongue and do not tell them anything you do not have to. Obey quietly and speak as little as possible. Let me do the talking for us."

"Hai," Torio said, nodding.

The two were quiet then and settled within the room to await Rikichi's return.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You did well," the demon lord, Kurokasai said, his blazing red-gold eyes glittering softly as he gazed at Kiri, "We need only wait for your brother to finish his part of the mission and we can move forward."

"Do you think the shinigami lord has any inkling of why he has been brought here?" asked Kiri.

"I do not believe so," answered the demon lord, straightening his black, leonine form and looking out the window.

Outside, all of Aizen's false lighting and sky had been removed and now Las Noches existed in darkness, as Kurokasai imagined it always should have. It had been a mistake for the former Espadas to allow the shinigami traitor to change any part of their world. He had made the worst kinds of fools out of his followers. But it was a source of pleasure to the new demon lord to know that after they returned Sousuke Aizen to the fortress and used him for the Akuma-kokuou ritual, Aizen would be dead and the three worlds would fall under the control of a new hollow regime.

The only source of uncertainty was the Kuchiki lord's fitness for his part in the ritual. The demon lore had pointed to the strongest shinigami of the noble houses, but if Byakuya did not prove to be strong enough, the ritual would claim his life and destroy their chances of ever bringing the dark lord to power. And while Aizen was clearly the scion delineated in their prophecy, the identity of the Akuma-utsuwa, or "Devil's Vessel" was much more cryptic.

Kurokasai sighed softly and closed his eyes.

"I will be greatly relieved when the ritual is done," he said quietly.

"I will too," agreed Kiri, "As long as Hebi is not discovered, we should be able to move forward soon."

"Yes, well, infiltrating the shinigamis' Central 46 prisons is even more challenging than breaking into Kuchiki Manor was. Hebi has never failed yet, so I have confidence in him, but I will not rest easy until Aizen is back in our hands."

"He had just better be careful," said Kiri, frowning, "until the end of the ritual, Aizen will still be dangerous."

"Yes," agreed Kurokasai, "We must be extremely cautious…"


	2. Freeing the Beast

**Chapter 2: Freeing the Beast**

**(IT'S AN AIZENLANCH! So much Sousuke on his special day!)**

Hebi stood just outside Central 46, his white Arrancar robes fluttering in the night breeze and his golden eyes scanning the area. Seeing and sensing none but the nearby guards, he removed his sword from its sheath and calmly slid it into his abdomen, at the same time giving the release command. The Arrancar's body shimmered and went hazy, then slowly melted and re-formed into a the long, dark, limbless body of a snake. The snake slid swiftly along the ground and moved in the direction of the two guards. He hid in the tall bush behind one guard, then waited in silence.

Some time later, the door they guarded, opened from the inside, and a shinigami councilor walked out of the building, pausing to wish the guards a good evening. Hebi found it surprisingly easy to slip past them and into the dark environs of the Central 46 headquarters. He had actually entered the building numerous times, and had memorized his path carefully, learning the motions and behaviors of the ones that were in the areas he would need to go. From the councilors who pored over papers in their offices until late at night, to the lowly weaklings who brought their food and ran errands for them. Nothing moved that Hebi had not attended to. And the result was that now, the Central 46 prison was about to give up its most notorious prisoner.

The snake slid through the dark hallways, past offices and meeting rooms, and down several flights of stairs, until he came to the guarded door that led into the prison levels. It was there in the eighth level that he would find his target. But he would have to move carefully to get in, take his prize and get out again.

He waited silently in the shadows, watching carefully until the door opened and a roving guard returned to the main post to check in. Using his sonido, he shot between the shinigami's feet, unseen by the men as the guard left to give his report to the head of prison security. It took several hours, but he was able to use the same method to pass through each of the prison's doors. Luckily, the environs were kept relatively dark, giving him plenty of cover as he went.

He reached the eighth level and made his way to the heavily guarded door at the end of the hall, then waited silently until the guard changed. As the former guards departed and the relief guards took their places, he breathed a soft command and his eyes began to glow brightly. The light attracted the eyes of the guards, then quickly hypnotized the two. Once they were controlled, he slid forward and returned to his humanoid form. He took the key from one guard and unlocked the cell, then entered and closed the door behind him. He walked to the heavily bound shinigami imprisoned in the room and smiled as he uncovered the man's face.

"Lord Aizen," said the Arrancar, "I have come to help you escape."

The restrained shinigami's brown eyes blinked and slowly focused on the hollow in front of him.

"Hebi?" he queried softly, as though uncertain that what he was seeing could be real.

"Hai, Lord Aizen. Give me a moment and I will free you."

Aizen watched him quietly as he slashed the bindings, allowing him to move again. It took several minutes to reawaken his body after having been frozen in place for so long, but gradually, he regained the strength to stand.

"If you will allow me inside you, I will conceal you so that we can escape together," said the Arrancar.

Aizen nodded briefly, then watched with widened eyes as Hebi coiled and struck his abdomen, sliding easily into the breached cavity and coiling again inside him. Aizen's body shimmered and took on the look of Hebi's. Then, the Arrancar walked out of the cell, closing and locking it behind him. He released his zanpakuto again, taking on his serpent form and halting the enchantment on the guards. Then he worked his way back out of the prison the way he had made his way in. He slid out of the entry doors and into a bush strewn area, where he took his Arrancar form again and opened a garganta. He stepped through and back into the dark environs of Las Noches. Walking through the courtyard and past the guards, he passed through the main entry and found his brother waiting for him.

"Were you successful in freeing him?" Kiri asked softly.

Hebi smiled and slipped free of Aizen's body, stunning the shinigami's powerless body and watching him drop to the floor.

"Excellent," said Kurokasai from behind Kiri, "We are nearly ready to begin the ritual, but we must do so quickly if we are to return Captain Kuchiki to his manor before his absence is discovered. Come, Hebi, bring Aizen into the chamber. Kiri, collect Captain Kuchiki and bring him to the chamber as well. Leave his attendants unconscious in his quarters."

"Hai, Kurokasai-sama!" the two Arrancars said, bowing.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Rikichi," Byakuya said in a relieved sigh as the door opened and his subordinate entered the room, "Were you able to learn anything?"

"No, sir," Rikichi said, frowning and shaking his head, "Except that security is extremely tight around the fortress. Other than that…nothing. I'm sorry, Captain."

Byakuya sighed.

"It seems that our hands are tied for the moment," he concluded, accepting the water and pain reliever Rikichi had returned with, "Why don't the two of you get some rest while you can. There is nothing we can do for now, and it doesn't help to become sleep deprived while we wait for our captors to make a move. They will reveal their intentions soon enough and we will have to decide what to do at that point."

The three shinigamis looked up as the door opened and Kurokasai stepped inside, followed by two large guard hollows. The Hollow Lord touched several buttons on a small device he held in his hand and Rikichi and Torio collapsed.

"What are you doing to them?" Byakuya demanded, looking alarmed, "You said they would not be harmed!"

"And they won't be," Kurokasai agreed, nodding to the two guards and watching as they placed the two youths on the bed, "It is time for you to come with me. I have a task for you, after which you will be allowed to return to your manor."

"What is it you want me to do?" the noble asked.

"I will answer your questions when we reach the ritual chamber. Rest assured that you will emerge from this with few, if any harmful effects."

The guards returned and nudged Byakuya into motion beside Kurokasai. The noble stole glances at the Hollow Lord as they made their way past the empty throne room and through several passages that seemed to slope gradually downward. And given few points of reference and no windows to look out to check position, Byakuya eventually lost track of their direction. Finally, they came to a heavily guarded door.

"Our destination is just inside, Byakuya Kuchiki. Come."

Byakuya paused at the door, an odd feeling of dread sweeping over him. He sensed something chillingly wicked and horribly powerful beyond the door.

"What is in there?" he asked softly.

Kurokasai smiled.

"You will see," he said, touching the button on the device that controlled Byakuya's collar.

Byakuya froze, then dropped into the arms of the guard standing behind him.

"Bring him," Kurokasai ordered the hollow.

XXXXXXXXXX

"We are ready," said Kurokasai, looking down at the two unconscious shinigamis on the altar in front of him, "Begin the ritual."

The ten Hollow Lords that surrounded the altar, began a low chant and placed their palms on the altar, carefully avoiding touching either of the men who lay upon them. Kurokasai leaned over Byakuya's bared body and placed his hands on the noble's abdomen, breathing the words of invocation and waiting in silence as the power flared around his hands. The shinigami's abdomen began to glow with hazy red light, then seemed to lose some of its cohesion, allowing the Hollow Overlord's hands to slip down into the space created and to slowly craft a protective chamber inside him. His mouth continued to move, holding the power of the deep enchantment as his head tilted slightly and he continued his solemn task. When the reiatsu chamber was completed, he intensified the reiatsu around his hands and carefully closed the shinigami's abdomen again, leaving only a tiny black symbol on the perfect, pale flesh.

Kurokasai turned to the other naked shinigami and extended his hands over the man's chest. He focused his power into the seal around the crystal that had been fused with the man's chest. Light flared within the device and began to pulsate softly in anticipation of being freed. Kurokasai lowered his eyes and connected briefly with the spirit inside the hogyoku.

_I am Kurokasai, Overlord of the hollows of Hueco mundo._

The light around the hogyoku flashed.

_Are you going to free me?_

Kurokasai smiled.

_I will do better than that, _he promised silently, _I will use these two shinigamis to bring you to life. You will have your own dominion here and need not depend on a borrowed body to exert your will. We stand ready to serve you. Do you wish us to help you?_

There was a long pause, filled with just the soft, steady sound of the Hollow Lords' chanting. Then, the hogyoku flashed again and Kurokasai began to laugh softly.

_I will accept your offer, Kurokasai, Overlord of the hollows!_

Kurokasai reached out and touched his fingertips to the hogyoku, where it still rested in Aizen's chest, raising the reiatsu around him and driving it into the crystal. The hogyoku flared and sparked, multi-colored light flickering in its facets. The pressure inside the crystal increased and began to burn against the crystal's body until the surface bubbled and began to melt. Light erupted from the device and slid down into the lower confines of Aizen's body, then flared and sparked, waiting for the next phase of the ritual.

The Hollow Lords raised the volume of their chanting, placing their clawed fingertips on the two shinigamis' bodies. Kurokasai raised his hands over the two and invoked the final spell. The two bodies lifted themselves as the Hollow Lords' fingers brushed against them. They turned towards each other and their eyes opened and met. Deep, hazed brown eyes met dark gray and the two moved closer together, driven there by the heavy pulse of the Hollow Lords' chanting and the reiatsu that sparked on their fingertips.

Aizen's hands touched the noble's face and pulled him close for a deep, penetrating kiss and the raven-haired shinigami fell back, pulling Aizen down with him. Aizen's mouth fastened onto Byakuya's and the two exchanged a deeper, more fiery kiss, as the reiatsu rose around them, until the entire room shook with it. Aizen's body trapped the noble's beneath it and the two moved against each other, coaxing rising moans of pleasure from them as the intense sensations increased. Hollow claws took hold of Byakuya's slender thighs and pushed them wide as the heavy chanting continued and the brown-eyed shinigami positioned himself to enter the other.

When he moved forward, he did so forcefully, dragging a pained cry from the shinigami beneath them that made the hollows moan and growl in anticipation. The chanting sound rose to a fever pitch as the shinigamis writhed in each other's arms. The raven-haired shinigami moaned and thrashed fitfully as Aizen's breath shortened and grew harsh. His body slowed in its motions and the reiatsu around the two shinigamis exploded. Byakuya's mouth opened in a scream of mixed pain and pleasure as the melted spirit of the hogyoku left Aizen's body entered the body of the man beneath him. The reiatsu chamber inside Byakuya flared softly, attracting the gathered essence. It collected in the chamber as the chanting fell away and the two shinigamis fell silent and still again. Neither man moved except to softly draw and release breath. Kurokasai leaned over Byakuya and placed his hands on the noble's abdomen. His power sealed and concealed the chamber within the man. The seal would keep the developing reiatsu safe until the time for the birthing came. Kurokasai smiled and leaned down to kiss the noble's soft abdomen over the reiatsu chamber.

"Rest quietly, my lord," he whispered, "Soon, it will be time. We will find you and bring you here again, when it is time."

The Hollow Lords stood quietly now, watching as the Overlord's power faded.

"Take Lord Kuchiki and his attendants back to Kuchiki Manor," Kurokasai said quietly, observing through tired eyes as two of the Hollow Lords carried Byakuya away.

"What about him?" asked one of the remaining lords, looking down at the brown-haired shinigami, whose chest now held the cracked and empty shell of the hogyoku. Kurokasai reached down and drove a clawed hand into the man's chest, then pulled it out again, making an explosion of blood and stopping the man's breathing.

"He has come to the end of his usefulness," hissed the Overlord, "Throw him out with the rest of the refuse. After what he did to our brethren, he doesn't even deserve a decent burial."

The Hollow Lords turned and began to leave. The last threw Aizen's body over his shoulder and carried it out of the chamber. He turned away from the others and took the shinigami's body to the garbage dump, giving him a sympathetic look as he tossed him down into the garbage.

"I wonder if you regret your choices now, Sousuke Aizen," he said softly, "You never should have come here…"

He watched for a moment, making sure that the body didn't move, then turned and walked back into the fortress.

The body on the garbage pile remained still for several long minutes after he left, then quivered, and the man's head lifted slowly. He looked around dizzily, uncertain where he was, but certain that he did not want to remain there. He looked down at the open cavity in his chest and groaned disbelievingly. His fingers touched the shattered shell of the hogyoku and he groaned again.

He turned and his body rolled down the stack of refuse, crashing to the ground and leaving a small trail of blood behind. He crawled away from the garbage dump and towards the sound of voices, stopping and concealing himself near two hollows as they opened a garganta and stepped inside. He waited until they disappeared into it, then followed on hands and knees, looking around carefully and turning here and there to avoid approaching groups of hollows. After a time, he began looking for an exit, worried that if he lost consciousness, he would die in that dark underworld cavern.

He was vulnerable now…

He had to find somewhere safe…somewhere where he wouldn't be found. But he wasn't sure anymore which way he was headed. He turned down a corridor and pushed through an exit, emerging in an unfamiliar place and collapsing onto a sandy expanse. He felt the approach of someone powerful and heard the man make a sound of surprise. Then words were exchanged and Aizen felt his body lifted and carried out of the place he had landed. He was placed in a comfortable bed and felt the prick of a needle in his arm, then the cool influx of fluids and lifesaving medication. Knowing he was helpless for the moment, he placed himself in the hands of the ones who had found him and silently planned to escape as soon as he regained his senses. He sank into the darkness as the two men stood by, wondering aloud about him.

"It's him. I know it's him," said the voice of the man who had found him, "but _it's_ been destroyed."

"I wonder how," said the other man.

"We should ask him," said the first, "if he lives. Of course, with the price on his head and the fact he's not invulnerable to death anymore, maybe he's better off if he just dies now."

"K-kisuke?" Aizen croaked softly.

The man came close and leaned over him.

"You m-must tell them. They must find…the D-devil's Vessel."

His senses left him then, so he couldn't see the scientist's eyes widen and his hand touch the other man's arm.

"Hold off on calling them just yet. It may be that we don't want those goofs at Central 46 to get their hands on this guy yet."

"What's the Devil's Vessel?" asked Tessai.

"Believe me," said Kisuke, "You don't want to know…"


	3. Working with the Devil

**Chapter 3: Working With the Devil**

**(Hey, a quick shout out to guest reviewer Dalia. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews and encouragement. I am working on an update of Missing Piece for you. It's wonderful having you reading along.)**

Sousuke Aizen felt awareness returning and quietly tested the strength of the bindings that restrained him.

"You won't be able to break free," Kisuke's voice told him, "Go ahead and try if you want, but it's a waste of time."

Aizen studied the room he was in and sensed that he had been moved away from Kisuke's shop.

"If you're wondering why I haven't finished you off or turned you over to Central 46, you might think back to what you said to me just before you tried to die on us."

"T-tried to..."

"You went into cardiac arrest, and although we really wanted to just let you die, the possibility of the seeding of a new hollow king was scary enough to get us to cut you some slack and save your life. No thanks are necessary. Believe me, you're going to pay for the privilege of living and breathing. You may have been lord of the hollows once, but now you're just a regular shinigami with his powers sealed away and no way to break the bindings on him."

Aizen's eyes narrowed in challenge, and he frowned and started to pull against his bonds again. Kisuke went quiet and watched him struggle for a while, crossing his arms and scowling.

"We had to move you to a safe house, because your leaking reiatsu was sensed in the precipice world. Luckily for you, they couldn't tell which world you ended up in or if the cleaner just swept away your lifeless corpse. Now, we need to determine just how honest you were being when you told us a 'Devil's Vessel' had been chosen. Why don't you start at the beginning and tell us everything you remember? Just...be aware. I have attached a device to that collar around your neck that will detect any lies, so keep it honest or we'll just dump you right back in the precipice world and let the cleaner finish the job..."

"Is that supposed to frighten me?" asked Aizen, beginning to recover himself slightly, "Because compared to what I know...what I saw, death is an easier path. You saw what the hollows did to me. You saw that the hogyoku's housing had been melted. The only thing that could have done that is the invocation ritual for the seeding of a hollow god."

"Okay, so let's go back to the beginning," said Kisuke, turning on a small recording device, "And I hope you don't mind if I record this so that if I'm questioned about it later, I can be clear about my facts."

"Very well," said Aizen, "I was assisted in escaping by a hollow, a former associate of mine."

"What hollow? What was its name? Was it one the surviving Espadas?"

"I'll just keep that part to myself," said Aizen, smirking, "I think the less you know about my hollow associates the less the chance I'll end up back in the prisons of Central 46 when this is all over."

"You'll be lucky if you don't get executed, now that you are mortal again," commented Kisuke, "But who knows? If we find the vessel and stop this shit from happening, perhaps Central 46 will be willing to forget the treason, murder and other felonies you committed. Then all you have to do is dodge the attempts on your life by the people whose lives you messed with."

"Starting with you, ne?" said Aizen, smirking.

"Don't tempt me," Kisuke said, his frown deepening, "Just give us the story and leave out the extras. If the vessel has been seeded, then the clock on this thing is already ticking."

"Very well," said Aizen, "The associate who assisted in my escape, accompanied me back to Las Noches, where I was greeted by an Arrancar named Kurokasai."

"Ah," said Kisuke, "A name. He must be someone you don't like too much, or who isn't too useful to you, ne?"

"He is one of a group of strong hollows, formerly lords of Hueco Mundo before my arrival."

"I can sort of see why they might not like you," commented the shopkeeper, "even not considering the fact that you're a backstabbing traitor..."

"Kurokasai," Aizen went on, ignoring Kisuke, "has, since my capture, gone on to become overlord of the group. The group is focused on restoring the old ways of Hueco Mundo. They use dark power that collects in Hueco Mundo as hollow souls are purified by shinigami blades. As you know, the soul is purified, but the wickedness, the sin, is burned away and blends with the sands of the Hueco Mundo desert. The overlords revived an old custom of sifting the power from the sand itself...much in the way of the users of earth magic in the living world."

"Ah," said Kisuke, his eyebrow rising, "And they were also the ones who wrote in old hollow journals about harvesting stray bits of lost souls' memories and emotions from the precipice world..."

"Which, as you know," Aizen continued, "is the basis we both used in creating the hogyoku."

"But part of the reason we both encountered difficulty in our trials," Kisuke added, "is because the texts we were using were incomplete."

"They were damaged in the overthrow of the old regime by the Luisenbarn clan, which then seized control and ruled Hueco Mundo until my arrival. But it was in those same texts that once existed, a story of how the spirit king had a younger brother, who sought to overthrow him. The name of the brother has been lost, as has much of the history, but the story goes that the brother was made a hollow and rendered infertile, and he was sent to rule the hollow world. Cast down, the brother devoted his existence to trying to find a way to re-enter the spirit dimension and to destroy his brother. He was the one who first drew power from the sands of the Hueco Mundo desert, and the one who inscribed the texts we consulted in our studies."

"Right," agreed Kisuke.

"As time went on and the brother continuously failed in his attempts to return to the spirit dimension, he began to also seek a way to cheat death, so that his vendetta could continue on indefinitely. He worked for hundreds of years developing the process, and was the one who eventually created the ritual that the hollows used on me."

"I know that it involves removing the soul of the hogyoku and placing it in a chosen 'vessel,' but I don't know how the vessel is chosen or how the 'pregnancy' progresses," said Kisuke, "Do you know anything about that? I, for one, would like to know exactly how long it will be before this hollow god is born. I mean, are we talking the usual nine months or..."

"My understanding based on the surviving bits of hollow texts I found in Las Noches is that the full development takes one month from the time of seeding."

"Shit..." muttered Kisuke, "That clock is ticking fast. It's already been a few days since you staggered into the training grounds beneath the shop. I don't suppose that you know how long you were out of it and wandering around?"

"I couldn't have survived for more than a few hours in the state that I was in," Aizen said calmly, "I was likely hours, or maybe minutes from death when I reached you."

"And you were out for about three days."

"With the rate of development necessary for gestation to complete itself in thirty days, the one chosen would be showing symptoms already."

"What kind of symptoms?" Kisuke asked, "Are we talking normal pregnancy symptoms or...?"

"I do not know exactly," admitted Aizen.

"So we have about twenty or so days to find this hollow they seeded...and kill it before it gives birth? Is that it?" asked Kisuke.

Aizen let out an annoyed breath.

"First of all, the ritual itself provides protection for the vessel, shielding the reiatsu chamber and affecting the vessel's powers so that the vessel is extremely hard to track and kill. And it isn't a hollow."

"What?"

"Because the hollows are creatures whose very bodies are rejected by the spirit dimension, it is necessary that the vessel be a strong shinigami, so that the hollow soul born is given a shinigami form."

Aizen gave Kisuke a tolerant smile.

"Now, _I_ may be a little more ruthless and willing to dispense with the life of an innocent, if it means destroying the hollow god, but assuming you run a little more on the sympathetic, touchy-feely side, you may want to spend your time thinking of ways to rescue the vessel from this process, while I seek the vessel."

"Not gonna happen," said Kisuke, narrowing his eyes, "First of all, I need you to help me figure out who the vessel is. And to do that, I need to conduct some deeper scans of your subconscious memory. Secondly, in case you hadn't noticed, you have no powers right now, and I haven't been able to determine if you will regain them. No one in known history has become a transcendent and then been brought back to a shinigami state again. There's no way to know what will happen."

He gave the former captain a brief smile.

"But on the bright side, I did manage to collect some bits of Kyoka Suigetsu from the battlefield. And the fact that although the reiatsu in the blade is barely readable, it is alive, and if you can convince him to reconnect with you, he should be able to fully regenerate. Whether or not you'll be able to summon his power again, I don't know. But even if you do, it isn't likely to be in a time frame convenient for waiting."

"I see," said Aizen, frowning, "Then, get on with your explorations. As you said, time is short. But...I want your word that if I am able to assist in the destruction of the seeded hollow lord, you will convince Central 46 to free me."

Kisuke smiled and shook his head.

"No way. For one thing, you have as much to gain from killing him as anyone, and secondly, no one convinces Central 46 to do anything they don't want to. You know that. You used it to get me thrown out of Soul Society, for kami's sake!"

Aizen gave him a wry smile.

"I did do that, didn't I," he said, shaking his head, "Well, it was worth a try."

"Hey," Kisuke went on, "You do have a good sporting chance of being freed. I mean, if you manage to save the three worlds, they'll kind of owe you, right?"

"Hmmm, I don't like resting my future on that group of stuffy nobles, but it seems I have no choice...at least for now. So, as I said, continue your explorations. But I would suggest you have someone looking for the vessel, or we'll run out of time."

"I'm way ahead of you," said Kisuke, smiling.

"That would be refreshing," commented Aizen, closing his eyes and relaxing as Kisuke leaned forward and began placing electrodes on his forehead.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yoruichi Shihoin," said Byakuya, looking up from his work, "To what do we owe the dubious pleasure of your company?"

"Charming as always, Byakuya," commented the cat woman, closing the door to the sixth division behind her, "Hey Renji."

"Hey," said the redhead, grinning, "Good to see you."

Yoruichi turned back to Byakuya and sat down in the chair beside his desk.

"Is this important?" asked the noble, "I am extremely busy right now, and there is a captain's meeting soon."

"Well," said Yoruichi, "as much as I hate to take you away from the work you are doing, I very much need your help. And it's something that will require the cooperation of the captains, which I will need you to help me gain."

"And why would I do that? What is so important as to get everyone so up in arms? Are you referring to Sousuke Aizen's escape? Squads one and two are..."

"Eh," said the cat woman, "I'd really rather discuss all of this in private. Do you mind if we go to Kuchiki Manor and continue this discussion in the family archive? It's sensitive information. And believe me when I tell you, it is not just important. The situation is critical."

Byakuya frowned and barely managed to avoid rolling his eyes.

"Very well," he said quietly, "But you better not have taken me from my duties for another game of tag."

Yoruichi gave him a look of complete seriousness that sent a soft chill down his spine.

"This is no game. If something isn't done quickly, we are going to have an enemy even stronger than Sousuke Aizen was to worry about."

Byakuya nodded and rose.

"Renji, please see that the rest of these reports are signed off on and sent to the first division."

"Hai, Taicho," Renji said, waiting until the noble left the room to let out a long sigh of resignation, "So much for drinks after work..."

Byakuya and Yoruichi flash stepped away from the sixth division, and minutes later, entered the front gates of Kuchiki Manor. Byakuya spoke briefly to his attendant and handed him a silver token to allow him entrance into the archive with their tea, then led Yoruichi to the archive entrance. He touched the door and breathed a soft command, then led Yoruichi inside and watched the door close behind them. They walked into one of the reading rooms and sat down in the large, comfortable chairs. A few minutes later, Byakuya's attendant, delivered their tea and handed the silver token back to the noble. They watched the attendant leave, then Byakuya picked up his tea and sipped at it before addressing Yoruichi again.

"So," he said quietly, "You say that there may be a more dangerous enemy than Sousuke Aizen who is plotting against us? Who is it?"

"Actually," said Yoruichi, "the enemy hasn't been born yet."

"What?"

"You know that Sousuke Aizen disappeared from his cell in Central 46 a few days ago."

"Yes," said Byakuya, nodding, "We have been on high alert ever since. Even though the seal will prevent Aizen from using his powers, he is still a very dangerous fugitive."

"Well," said the cat woman, "He may have been dangerous, but he is relatively harmless at the moment."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

"You have him?" he asked sharply, "Were you the ones who helped him to escape?"

"No, of course not," Yoruichi said reprovingly, "Kisuke and I know just what it took to capture him. We would never do that."

"But you have him?" asked Byakuya.

"He staggered into the training grounds at Kisuke's shop the day after his escape," Yoruichi explained, "Byakuya, when we found him, he was nearly dead, and the hogyoku had somehow been melted and emptied of its soul."

"Kami..." the noble whispered, his gray eyes growing intense.

"He went into cardiac arrest and was unconscious for several days, so we couldn't question him."

"But you didn't immediately hand him over to Central 46," said the noble, "Why?"

Yoruichi took a steadying breath.

"You are familiar with the old story about the spirit king's brother, who tried to overthrow him thousands of years ago?"

"Yes," said Byakuya, "He was cast out of the spirit dimension and sent to oversee Hueco Mundo. He tried for many years to seek a way back into the spirit dimension, but continually failed to do so. It is theorized that his research was the basis for the creation of the hogyoku."

"Yes," agreed the cat woman, "Kisuke has confirmed that the hogyoku was part of a procedure that he was trying to develop to ensure the continuance of his life if he was somehow killed, or he perished."

"So I have read," acknowledged the noble, "but how does this relate to you concealing Aizen from the authorities? One would think that you and Kisuke would want to see him returned to the prison immediately."

"We would," agreed Yoruichi, "However, before he collapsed, Aizen was able to tell us one thing. He said that the Devil's Vessel had been seeded."

"What?" Byakuya asked, leaning forward and gripping the armrests on his chair, "The Devil's Vessel?"

"Yes," confirmed Yoruichi, "If we do not find the vessel quickly, a new hollow god will be born!"


	4. Intent to Kill

**Chapter 4: Intent to Kill**

"I understand now why you chose to involve me," Byakuya said, glancing around the archive.

Yoruichi nodded.

"Your family is caretaker of the most extensive collection of knowledge in the three worlds. The Kuchiki family archive has its entrance here, but actually exists in the spirit dimension. And with the exception of the royal family, only you and the ones you permit entrance are allowed in the archive...the reason for that being that souls beyond the spirit dimension weren't meant to have some of this knowledge. Kisuke and I believe that if there is a place that may hold the answers we need to locate and destroy the developing hollow god, it is here."

Byakuya met her eyes without the usual look of disdain.

"You will have my full cooperation," he said quietly, handing her the silver token, "This token will allow you or Kisuke to enter the archive."

He paused for a moment, thinking.

"And there is one more thing that I can do for you," he added.

"What is that?"

"Begin your search," Byakuya said cryptically, "I will return soon."

"B-but," stammered the cat woman, "I just told you that the...Byakuya! Where are you going?"

Her eyes went wide as the noble walked to the back of the archive and touched a door that she hadn't seen was there.

"There are only two ways to enter or leave the spirit dimension. A soul may only pass through the dimension wall if in possession of the King's Key. But any member of the royal family _or_ the Kuchiki family may pass through this entrance. I am going to seek the support of his majesty's royal court. I will return soon."

"Ah," said the cat woman, smiling, "Good thinking."

She paused as a look of discomfort passed over the noble's expression, then disappeared.

"Byakuya?" she queried, "Are you all right?"

The noble looked back at her as though nothing had happened.

"What do you mean?" he asked solemnly, "I am fine."

Yoruichi shook her head.

"Never mind," she said, off-handedly, "Looks like I had better get started looking."

Byakuya nodded, then turned and silently passed through the door into the spirit dimension.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Okay," said Kisuke, leaning forward and touching several buttons on the machine in front of him, "This is going to jump around a bit and may not be too clear, but it's one of the few ways we have to capture information in the subconscious memory and put it in a usable form."

He worked at the buttons and switches for several more minutes, then leaned back and adjusted the monitor so that Aizen could see as well.

"Let's see what we've got, now."

He pressed a last button and the two men watched the display on the screen. At first, the screen displayed only static. But after a few moments, a fuzzy image of a hollow appeared.

"Excellent," the hollow said, "We are nearly ready to begin the ritual. But we must do so quickly if are to return..."

The words trailed off and the image faded. A few moments later, a bright light flashed, and an image of the hollow appeared to look down at them.

"...have a use for you..."

The screen faded into static again, then flashed with several sharp images. A view of masked faces looking down at someone...the sound of heavy chanting...moans, and the flash of a pale body lying beneath another...hollow claws pushing someone's parted thighs wide...two bodies pressing eagerly against each other as a group of hollows looked on. A final image was quaky and barely discernable...a view of a single hollow from a distance.

"I wonder if you regret your choices now..."

"That's the end of it," Kisuke said solemnly.

He rewound the recorded feed, and played it back several times, then consulted Aizen.

"Anything ring any bells for you?" he asked.

"Not really," replied Aizen, "Obviously, I was only semi-conscious. The hollow most present is Kurokasai. The chanting must have been during the ritual."

"You didn't get a good look at the shinigami, apparently," observed Kisuke, "Except for his hands, his thighs, and...what was between his thighs."

"Unfortunately, we can't identify him that way," Aizen said, shaking his head, "Although it is possible that because of the bonding that occurs during a ritual like that, he might resonate with me if we met in person."

"Oh, okay then," Kisuke sighed, "Then it's just a matter of you wandering around and hoping this guy crosses your path again. I mean, he's probably a noble, or at least, he has to be a powerful person, so that narrows it down into the _hundreds_. Granted, it's better than millions or thousands, but it's still tantamount to looking for a needle in a haystack! And it's not like we can have you out in public looking around for anything anyway. Damn..."

He paused as Aizen's face paled and a look of discomfort touched his features.

"You okay?" Kisuke asked quickly.

"F-fine," answered Aizen, dropping back onto the examination table, "Just...weary."

"Yeah, I guess after having all of that power forced through you, having your chest torn open and nearly dying, I can see how you'd be kind of tired. Let's quit for a while."

He removed the electrodes and freed the brown-eyed shinigami, who looked back at him questioningly.

"Don't think I'm letting my guard down," the shopkeeper said, matter-of-factly, "That collar on you holds back your powers, and it will incapacitate you if you attack anyone and will not allow you to leave here unless I remove it. Go and get some rest. I will bring in some food and tea in a bit."

Aizen looked back at him quietly for a moment, then climbed to his feet and left the laboratory. He walked slowly back to the bedroom he had been placed in before, his mind going back over the images he had seen. In addition to what he had seen and heard, he was beginning to recall other bits of sensual information that he judged could be useful if he sorted them out.

_I remember our lips crashing together, and that my eyes were closed much of the time. His skin was very soft...and had a scent. I can't remember what..._

He walked into his room and sat down on the bed, looking out the open window and breathing in the fresh air the breeze carried into the room.

_It has been too long since I breathed in fresh air._

He longed to be out in the sunshine, surrounded by light, warmth, and...

He stopped himself, surprised at how those seemingly simple things were such a desire. He touched the healing wound on his chest and felt a flash of memory of his battle with Ichigo.

_This is my weakness. This is why the hogyoku rejected me...this inward desire for peace and balance. The hogyoku was powerful enough to make me king, but what I realized was that it wanted to be king much more than I did. As much as I tried to use it to become king, it tried to use me. We were not partners striving for a common goal. We were enemies just waiting for the chance to betray each other. It wore heavily on me to be in constant contact with a soul like the hogyoku. As much as I may not live because it is gone, I can't say I'm unhappy. I am free to make my own decisions again, as limited as they are, for now. And as long as I live and breathe, there is some hope, ne? That is more than I can say for Gin and Tousen. But they died because they were not strong enough to keep their lives._

_I am strong enough, even without the hogyoku._

_I always was._

_I know that now._

He heard a familiar whisper in the back of his mind and reached for it. But only a moment later, it faded. Still, just the touch of it brought a smile to his lips.

"We will remember each other," he whispered, "And I will be able to command your powers again...Kyoka Suigetsu."

He laid down in the comfortable bed and gazed out the window, letting his mind wander aimlessly until he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Back in the laboratory, Kisuke replayed the video feed repeatedly, listening carefully and watching closely.

"Why are you giving us so much trouble?" he whispered, "Come on, give us a clue here."

He played the feed back again, slowing it down...then again, even slower. He caught his breath softly as a flash image of the man's obscured and partially turned face appeared.

"Ah," whispered Kisuke, "There you are..."

He studied the distorted picture, then his fingers flew over the keyboard in front of him.

"Just get what dimensions we can," he muttered, "and compare them to the Central 46 database...and..."

He paused, waiting as the information was sent, received and processed. The results lit up his screen and Kisuke groaned.

"Well, that narrows it down to about a hundred or so," he mused discontentedly, "But...at least we know now that we are, indeed, looking for a noble."

He sighed and pushed himself back from the computer, rubbing his hands over his face. He started to return to his work, but heard a familiar voice out in the front of the safe house, and walked out to greet the person.

"Captain Kuchiki," he said, smiling, "I guess Yoruichi reached you, then."

"Yes," said the noble, "She informed me that you have Sosuke Aizen here, and are attempting to determine who was made the Devil's Vessel. I left her in the archive, researching the history of the king's brother and the seeding ritual."

"You did, eh?" Kisuke said, looking at him, curiously, "So...erm...why are you here instead of in the archive, helping her with the research?"

"I am here on business," Byakuya said shortly.

"Oh, great," muttered Kisuke, "Don't tell me. You tipped Central 46 that he was here and the idiots there want him returned so that they can execute him and end any chance we have of stopping this hollow god from being born. Is that it?"

"I am not here in my capacity as a captain, but as leader of the Kuchiki clan and the noble servant of his majesty, King Eiji," the noble announced, "I did not trifle with Central 46, but went through the archive, directly to address the royal court about the situation."

Kisuke gave him a look of guarded hopefulness.

"And they said...?" he asked.

"By royal edict, you and Yoruichi Shihoin are to continue to attempt to discern the identity of the Devil's Vessel."

"O-kay, that makes sense."

"I have been ordered to take possession of Sosuke Aizen, and to guard him at all times."

"Come again?" said Kisuke, staring.

"You are to release Sosuke Aizen into my custody immediately. He will be housed in the Seireitei, at Kuchiki Manor, and under my direct supervision until this crisis is over!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen woke to the sound of Kisuke's voice protesting loudly, then footsteps, and his door being thrown open. He sat up and gazed curiously at the person who had entered his room and stood, glaring down at him.

"Captain Kuchiki, I have him perfectly under control," objected the shopkeeper, "And you can't just go traipsing around the Seireitei, dragging this guy along. Are you crazy? You know, I really have no love for the guy either, but we do need him. And you take him back to the Seireitei and the guy won't live for five minutes! Everyone he ever knew and _didn't kill_, will be lined up and waiting to kill this guy."

"I will not allow him to be harmed," said Byakuya, stepping forward and snapping a silver band around the former captain's wrist.

He leaned forward and, ignoring Kisuke's continued protests, removed the collar.

"He will not be able to leave my presence," said Byakuya, "And he will only wield defensive powers..."

He paused for a moment.

"That is...once he is able to use his powers at all."

"But..."

"I am accepting of Byakuya's terms," said Aizen, looking up curiously at the noble, "And if he is guarding me, then you are free to conduct your research without the distraction of having to take care of me."

He narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"And besides, I am weary of your company. Byakuya may not be the greatest conversationalist, but he is much lovelier to look at. Add to that, he has a talented staff at his beck and call, and hosts the most beautiful gardens in the Seireitei, and I would say that I could not have fallen into better hands...or prettier ones."

"Do not speak as though I am not here," Byakuya said, raising his reiatsu warningly, "And do not refer to me so informally. You will call me Captain Kuchiki or Lord Kuchiki."

"Oh," said Aizen, smiling charmingly, "But Byakuya is so much more attractive, don't you think?"

"You really sure you want to do this?" asked Kisuke, raising an eyebrow, "He may just piss you off enough to make you forget about the fate of the three worlds and just kill him. I was pretty tempted..."

"Come with me," Byakuya said tersely.

Aizen climbed to his feet and watched calmly as the noble opened a family senkaimon.

"I assume you would rather not use the central senkaimon and risk someone killing you before you reach the manor?" Byakuya asked quietly.

"Oh, Byakuya," said Aizen, looking mildly surprised, "And I thought you had no sense of humor at all..."

"I wasn't attempting humor," the noble said, stepping into the precipice world, with Aizen at his side.

"Good," said Aizen, "It's dangerous when not handled by someone with proper experience."

"Be quiet."

"But I haven't been in such stimulating company in a very long time. Are you saying that you aren't glad to see me? Because, I have really rather missed your dry wit."

He went silent as the noble turned and shoved him roughly back against the wall of the tunnel. He caught his breath softly as Byakuya's eyes went an odd golden for a moment, then returned to normal.

"Sosuke Aizen," he growled in an unusually feral tone, "I may be here under the king's order, but understand that I have my own agenda in accepting custody of you."

"Oh?" said the former captain, looking surprisingly unruffled.

"Not as a noble servant, and not as a sworn officer of the Gotei 13..."

"Perhaps I should return to Kisuke's safe house," suggested Aizen, "You seem...not so much yourself, Byakuya."

He stared curiously as the noble's hands tightened where they held the front of his yukata.

"I have an agenda as Rukia's brother and guardian. You tried to kill her."

"You're still mad about that, ne?"

"And as her brother and guardian, once we have stopped the hollow god from being born, I will kill you."

Aizen looked into the noble's lovely and furious expression and smiled.

"I never took you for a passionate man, Byakuya," he said appreciatively, ignoring the noble's death threat entirely, "You have changed. But...I would say it is for the better."

"Shut up," Byakuya said, releasing him and turning away.

Aizen smiled and followed the noble on through the precipice world.


	5. In Close Quarters

**Chapter 5: In Close Quarters**

"The Kuchiki family archive," Aizen said appreciatively, gazing intently at the ornate and finely detailed wooden door, "I have always wondered what it was like inside. I am sure I will be fascinated."

Byakuya ignored him, and laid a palm on the door then spoke a soft invocation, waiting as a sharp click sounded and the door slowly opened to permit them to enter. Byakuya stepped inside, then guided Aizen in, before turning back to make sure that the door was securely sealed behind them. He laid a hand on the traitor's arm and urged him down a small corridor, then turned him into the first of several recesses, where the books and artifacts were arranged and stored.

"I am impressed," Aizen commented, looking around at the finely carved and detailed wooden bookshelves, and the numerous visual displays, "This is said to be the largest and most well kept store of shinigami knowledge and information in the three worlds."

He sighed, remembering as Byakuya continued to lead him past the bookshelves.

"Of course, it does not contain the history of the hollows," he went on, "only what texts were found in Hueco Mundo and brought here. Las Noches had a lovely store of knowledge and history, but there was a more complete ancient history text that we found while excavating the site of the old royal brother's purported home."

"You found a written history of the pre-Luisenbarn dynasty?" Byakuya said, pausing and frowning as he considered, "Why did you not inform Kisuke Urahara of this?"

"He did not ask me," said Aizen, "And as he has been less than hospitable, why would I willingly offer him _any_ information?"

"Why did you offer it to me?" Byakuya asked, looking into his eyes, "If you are thinking to use something like that to take me off my guard, I assure you, it will not work."

"Oh, I wasn't trying to take you off guard, Byakuya, dear. If I was trying to do that, I would have succeeded already and you would be none the wiser."

Byakuya turned suddenly and forced him up against a tall bookcase, clenching the front of his yukata and glaring into his eyes. Aizen caught his breath softly as the other man's angry gray eyes flared, and then once again flashed a bright golden, before returning to their former state.

"Byakuya, are you all right?" the traitor asked curiously, watching as the noble swayed unsteadily for a moment, then seems to regain control of himself.

"Of course I am," Byakuya replied stiffly, "Come this way."

He led the former captain to a small, but comfortably lit annex that had been made up into a bedroom for the noble to use when conducting intensive research. A large, soft bed had been placed in one corner and a dresser and walk in closet held extra clothing. In the back of the room was a door that led into a small bathroom. Byakuya touched the band on Aizen's wrist as they entered the room, and it glowed softly for a moment, then the light faded.

"This band on your wrist," Byakuya explained quietly, "controls the seal on your powers. It also controls your movements within the archive, and your ability to enter or leave. Right now, you have no powers and you are confined to this room. You will remain here until this crisis is over, at which time you will be removed for execution."

"Execution by whom?" asked Aizen, "Will you be turning me over to Central 46?"

"No," Byakuya said, averting his eyes, "You will be executed for crimes against my family. As I said before, you used my sister and tried to have her killed."

"I remember," said the traitor, "Did you ever wonder why, Byakuya?"

Byakuya's eyes and expression darkened dangerously.

"It does not matter why you did that, only _that _you did it. Your actions could have cost Rukia and me our lives. You deserve to die for that."

"Ah," said Aizen, smiling at the noble charmingly, "but in truth, you were never my target, Byakuya. Not for death, anyway. You noticed how in addition to using Rukia to recover the hogyoku, I also used her to entice you into coming to be trapped in Hueco Mundo?"

Byakuya gazed at him in silence as Aizen's hand rose and touched the noble's cheek.

"You probably thought that it was just to steal power from the captains I would face in Karakura Town, ne?"

"Shut up," Byakuya snapped, taking a steadying breath and stepping back, "I do not have time for your nonsense. I have research to conduct."

He gestured briefly to a small kitchen area in the corner of the room.

"There are adequate provisions here so that you may care for your needs."

"How very kind of you."

"Now, before I go back to my research, I want you to tell me where that hollow history text is so that I might have it brought back here. It will likely be needed to help us understand more about the history behind this birthing process, and maybe how to stop it."

"I am not sure if it will be helpful," said Aizen, "I was still in the midst of translating it when it came time for the attack. And even if you could translate it, you cannot get to it without me. I am the only one who can open the vault it is stored in."

"We shall see about that," Byakuya said off-handedly.

He started to say more, but then paused and loosed a soft exclamation of surprise and pain.

"Byakuya?"

The noble's lovely face went deathly pale and quivered unsteadily.

"Byakuya, you don't look well. Perhaps you should lie down and I will make you some tea..."

"N-no," the noble said, trying to brush off the discomfort, "I will be..."

He broke off again and took a staggering step back, then collapsed in a pretty heap at his former colleague's feet. Aizen gazed down at him, frowning, then dropped to one knee, leaning over him and checking for signs of life.

"Byakuya?" he queried, shaking the clan leader and massaging his wrists gently, "Byakuya, wake up."

He looked around the room and out into the archive, then rose and started out the door. As he passed through it, the bond on his wrist flickered, and a strange feeling of disorientation passed over him. He found himself standing back in the room with the fallen Kuchiki clan leader. He tried again to leave the room and met with the same result. He thoroughly searched the room he was in, but found nothing that it appeared would be useful in helping him to escape the room. He returned to the noble's side and tried repeatedly to rouse him. Failing that, he lifted Byakuya and carried him to the bed. He loosened the noble's clothing, a smirk rising on his lips as he contemplated how quickly the Kuchiki heir would kill him for such a thing.

_Yes, he would not be pleased..._

The gentle scent of sakura rose up from the unconscious man's body and fell hypnotically across Aizen's piqued senses. He gazed down at the more revealed, lovely, slightly flushed skin of Byakuya face, throat and partially unveiled chest.

"Beautiful," he said appreciatively, "but then that was one of my reasons for desiring you as my consort."

He touched Byakuya's comely face with light fingertips and called his name again.

"Byakuya? Come now, I do not wish to be trapped in here. Byakuya, I..."

He went silent as the other man's eyes opened and glared intently into his. And again, Byakuya's eyes lost their normal gray color and flared bright golden. A sound shock went through Aizen's body, and he suddenly lost awareness, his own eyes changing to match the spellbound noble's.

As Aizen continued to stare down at Byakuya, the noble's abdomen flickered and then began to pulsate softly with a gentle white light. The illumination captured the enslaved Aizen's eyes, and he reached down and began to undress the other man. Byakuya laid perfectly still, his odd golden eyes locked on Aizen's as the former captain continued to slowly bare him. When Byakuya's clothes were set aside, the traitor's eyes became more feral and he undressed himself. He leaned over the noble and gently infused his glowing belly with his reiatsu.

As the infusion continued, Byakuya gazed up at his former colleague through deeply hazed eyes, then reached up to tentatively brush his fingertips against the other man's face. A soft, echoing growl sounded in Aizen's throat and Byakuya's hand trembled, but his fingers remained touching the other man's face. Gradually, the flow of reiatsu between the two men slowed and then stopped.

The ensnared Aizen glared down at the equally senseless Kuchiki heir, admiring again, the man's lovely naked body and his desirous expression. He reached out and touched the noble's cheek, coaxing a sigh from the man's solemn lips, then sliding down along his fine-carved jaw, down the length of his slender, graceful throat and onto his white, softly heaving breast. His eyes strayed down to the noble's exposed genitalia, and his lips curved upward as he took in the enchanting sight of Byakuya's revealed privates. He bent over the noble, capturing his lips in a firm, plundering kiss, letting his hand continue to move downward until he reached the man's blushing nether region.

Soft, impatient growls issued from both men and their kisses became rougher and more passionate. Aizen's hands roamed freely over Byakuya's body then, caressing and stimulating as the noble shifted restlessly and his expression became more wanton. He surged up against Aizen, snapping at his mouth and clawing at him impatiently as the other man hastily prepared him, then entered him.

Byakuya's mouth opened in an exclamation of pain, but his face was quickly made over into frenzied pleasure as Aizen moved atop him, causing intense friction between them. Their lips crashed together and their motions became faster and rougher as the two bodies threw themselves carelessly against each other.

Moans filled the archive as the two men's bodies raged at each other, and beads of sweat broke out on their writhing forms. Byakuya's eyes glazed over suddenly and his body seized forcefully in release. Aizen's mouth opened into a groan of intense pleasure, and he collapsed on top of the exhausted noble, gasping with delight and panting heavily. Byakuya went still and quiet beneath him, as Aizen's eyes sought the noble's lovely face again. He smiled dazedly and kissed the other man's sweetly flushed lips, then let his head fall onto the trapped noble's shoulder as the two drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

There wasn't much left in the three worlds that could surprise Sousuke Aizen. A highly intelligent and devious man, he was usually well ahead of the curve in anticipating everything from the probable results of his actions to the likely responses of others around him. He had proven, time and again, his penchant for being able to outthink everyone, but perhaps Kisuke Urahara. But even the startlingly wise and crafty Aizen found himself taken aback by his situation as he woke.

He found himself stripped naked and sprawled carelessly across an equally naked (but he thought, much lovelier) sleeping Byakuya. There was no denying the stickiness on their skin and the warm scents of their recent lovemaking.

But for the life him, the man could not remember a thing about how he had seduced the Kuchiki clan leader, nor of the details of the seduction or (more regrettably) the plundering of the beautiful noble's body.

"What a dreadful shame," he mused, lifting himself slightly and gazing down at Byakuya's handsome sleeping face while he tried to make sense of what had happened.

Byakuya's lips parted in a discontented moan and his eyes flickered open. The steely gray centers focused slowly on Aizen's face, then blinked and cleared. Shock registered in those eyes, then fury as Byakuya tore free of Aizen and came to his feet, staring down at his naked body and backing away.

"What is this!" he cried furiously, "What have you done to me, you bastard!"

Aizen's eyes widened as reiatsu flared around the incensed noble.

"What are you talking about?" Aizen asked, frowning, "Byakuya..."

"You raped me!" the Kuchiki heir shouted, his eyes blazing dangerously, "I'll _kill_ you for touching me!"

"Byakuya, I didn't..."

"You hypnotized me and raped me, you disgusting filth! How dare you lay hands on me!"

He loosed a hard kido blast, which Aizen barely evaded, then backed the powerless former captain into a corner.

"You think that you can do whatever you want," Byakuya went on, his pretty, naked body shaking with anger, "You think you can take advantage of anyone and get away with it, but you will not get away with doing this to me!"

Aizen's hand rose and caught the noble's slender wrist as Byakuya prepared to strike again.

"Byakuya, _think_ for a moment," he managed, holding the other man away, "I have my powers sealed and even if I didn't, I do not have any connection with my zanpakuto. There is no way that I could have used hypnosis on you under these circumstances."

Byakuya didn't answer, but continued to glare at him through hateful, infuriated eyes.

"Look at your body. There are no signs that I forced you to do anything. And don't accuse me of healing you. As I said, I have no powers to do that. I am telling you the truth. I did not rape you. What happened between us was apparently consensual."

_"Consensual_?" Byakuya hissed, "How can it be consensual if I do not remember what happened?"

"I don't remember what happened either," Aizen said quietly, "Byakuya..."

The noble's eyes widened suddenly in distress and he reached down to clench his abdomen. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he flash stepped away from the prisoner, hastily seeking the bathroom. He slid to a stop inside and dropped onto his knees, retching helplessly. Aizen stood for a moment, his back against the wall and his expression thoughtful

_What is this?_

_What happened between the two of us?_

_Byakuya despises me, and rightfully so. There is no way that the man would willingly seek physical pleasures with me. Something overcame the two of us and caused this._

He walked quietly to the bathroom, where he found Byakuya collapsed on the floor. Sighing in confusion, he shook his head and carried the noble back to the bed, where he dressed him in a soft, loose yukata and tucked him into bed. He leaned over the unconscious man, checking him carefully for signs of some injury or illness, but could find nothing.

He left Byakuya sleeping and retreated to the small kitchen nook, where he prepared two cups of hot green tea and sipped at his silently while watching Byakuya sleep.

_Why did this happen? I found him desirable, and I had in the past, sexual thoughts about him, but I did not plan to act on them. To infuriate him when I am not capable of stopping him from killing me...no, this was something else...something that removed our mental boundaries and opened us up to each other._

_But how?_

_What is the mechanism of this, and why don't either of us remember? As far as I know, neither of us had any reason to do this, especially not now, in the middle of this investigation...so odd._

"Sousuke Aizen?" Byakuya's voice said suddenly, bringing the former captain out of his reverie.

He rose and returned to the bed, where Byakuya laid, still looking uncomfortable and too pale. He sat down in a chair and observed the noble for a moment as both struggled to think of something to say.

"You say that you do not remember what happened?" Byakuya asked.

"That is the truth," Aizen answered solemnly, "I did not seduce you. I don't remember anything of what happened."

"Neither do I."

Byakuya's frown deepened, and he reached out a hand and let his reiatsu coalesce around him. He slowly let his fingertips touch Aizen's face, then loosed a soft, dismayed gasp as Aizen's reiatsu emerged and curled snugly around his.

"What is it? What did you do?" Aizen asked, tilting his head in askance.

"I sensed that reiatsu was flowing between us, even after this...after what happened."

"And?"

"And," the shocked noble said, his already ghostly face managing to go a shade paler, "our souls are resonating at a very high level."

"I don't understand," said Aizen, "What are you telling me?"

"This resonance should not exist," the stunned noble whispered, looking down at his hand, "This is a binding resonance that occurs only among nobles."

Aizen stared as Byakuya took a steadying breath and forced out words that took both of them aback.

"It occurs only among _mated_ nobles," he added, his voice shaking slightly, "_when they create the next noble heir_!"

His widened eyes struck Aizen's forcefully.

"You...impregnated me."


	6. The Soul Resonance

**Chapter 6: The Soul Resonance**

"I do not believe that this is happening," Byakuya said thickly, his pale face going paler, and his body trembling more softly.

Aizen let out a breath and moved to sit on the bed beside the distressed noble.

"Well, it is a surprise, of course. But why such a reaction? You were very depressed after your wife passed away, ne? And part of that misery must have been that you had no child of that union. You may not desire me, Byakuya, but certainly you would treasure some part of yourself being remembered in your progeny's flesh?"

Byakuya gave the other man a vicious look of reproach.

"You have no understanding of either the beauty of creating a new life with someone you love or the complexities of soul resonance!"

"Guilty as charged, I am afraid," Aizen admitted, "I have only heard snippets about noble soul resonance and honestly, I have always viewed childbearing as a rather narcissistic attempt to achieve continuance. And while I had the hogyoku within me, I lost the need for that kind of continuance. If I would be here forever, why would I need a child to memorialize me?"

"That is exactly what I would expect from you," Byakuya said in a softer voice, "One who treasures his isolation...his separation from others, one who has no room in his heart for trust...for the sharing that occurs between lovers, could not begin to understand what I am feeling now."

"You think I want things to be this way?" Aizen asked, shaking his head, "That I do not desire closeness with others? The cold truth is that it does not matter how much we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves different, Byakuya. We are solitary creatures...the more exceptional, the more solitary. By virtue of our great powers, we are already made even more lonely than those only separated by the physical manifestation of our essence...because there are so many fewer like us. And, for one such as myself, there is no one like us. We can connect with no one else who could understand. I will confide something in you. The truth is, I searched for a long time for someone to stand as my equal, but I never found that. Even Ichigo, who was able to push me to the ends of my ability was not truly so strong. He only borrowed the power and lost his powers to do so. To this day, I am alone in that manner."

And why does one have to 'stand as your equal,' Sousuke Aizen? Is it necessary for someone to be equal to you in power for you to love them?"

"Ah," Aizen sighed, "I should have expected a question like that from you, Byakuya. After all, you did not seek a wife who carried the blood and power, proper for a man like you, ne? You married beneath you."

"I did not feel that it was power that mattered, but love," the noble explained.

"And you paid the price for that," Aizen observed, "Hisana died and left you alone because she was not strong enough to survive. You see, it all boils down to the survival of the fittest. It is natural for living creatures to seek strong mates so that both will survive the rigors of life. Can you not see the logic in this?"

"I understand your logic, Sousuke," Byakuya said quietly, looking down into his teacup, "However, I do not agree with you, even considering how Hisana and I lost each other."

"How so?"

"Your logic rests on the idea that we seek a 'higher power' to ensure our own survival and our peace of mind. My philosophy is different."

"Oh?"

"I think that we are all strong in some ways and weak in others. And it is not greater power we seek, so much as safety. We are individuals, but we connect ourselves to others to ensure our mutual survival...each giving to the whole and complementing the others in ability. Our combined strength helps to protect us all."

"But Hisana died and left you alone, Byakuya," Aizen reminded him.

"Listen to how your words betray you, Sousuke Aizen," the noble said, shaking his head and sipping at his tea, "And know this. Hisana may have died, but she did not _leave me alone_."

"What? You have had no lovers since she died, ne?" Aizen asked, "Well, with the exception of our delightful, but unexpected and unfortunately unremembered lovemaking earlier."

"Shut up," Byakuya said, frowning, "What happened between us was not anything like love!"

"No," Aizen agreed, leaning closer to him, "It is more like fate."

Byakuya went still, staring guardedly into Aizen's strangely hypnotic eyes as the other man continued to close the distance between them and brushed his lips against the noble's. To his surprise, Byakuya did not resist the contact, even letting his eyes slide shut and kissing him back. Aizen pulled away and looked back at the noble questioningly.

"Byakuya?"

The noble bit his lip gently, a troubled expression rising in his features. He looked back at his former colleague quietly, his mind spinning as it worked to make peace with what was happening.

"You must understand," Byakuya answered, "Soul resonance is a sacred thing among our families. It first happened when the soul king sought to answer the desires of a young noble lord who sought a soul to complete his. As the legend goes, this man was pleased when the soul king answered his prayers. And he expected one like himself. He was surprised when the one who appeared was one who was much weaker than him. He wondered at the king's choice, but despite that, he obeyed the king and married the man who was sent."

"And?"

"And it turned out that his fated spouse saved his life. The legends differ about the circumstances, but the theme is the same in all of them. The soul king did not choose his mate for his powers, but for the way the two combined to increase the chances of survival for both. This is the basis in our history for the appearance and defining of _nakama_...bonded groups of regular beings gathered together for the protection and betterment of all."

"Hmmm..."

"Your philosophy fails because it rests on isolation. Nakama uses an array of people and their varied strengths to create safety in numbers."

"Safety in numbers," Aizen repeated skeptically, "But what happens when the group meets one too great? Not just one falls, but all of them. There are greater losses. And as much as you tout how gathering together combines powers for greater strength, that reliance on others creates vulnerabilities that enemies can exploit."

"Yes," Byakuya acknowledged, "But where there are weaknesses, the strength of others in the nakama compensates. If you are one, then when your power is not enough, there is no safety net."

"Well," said Aizen, gazing deeply into Byakuya's widened gray eyes, "I hate to disillusion you, Byakuya, but...there is no safety net, not for any of us. Safety is not a real thing, but a construct to keep the weak from despairing and going mad."

"Do you see it then, Sousuke?" the noble asked, "The flaw in your thinking?"

"The flaw in my thinking?" Aizen repeated curiously, "What is that?"

"You think you are strong and that everyone not as powerful as you is weak."

"Yes."

"You think that only binding your power to one equal or greater will make you stronger."

"And?"

"The flaw is thinking that you are strong. You are not strong. You, too, are weak in some ways. Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara were kind enough to show you that."

"They did not defeat me because I was weak."

"No," Byakuya agreed, an oddly sympathetic look in his eyes, "They defeated you because you isolated yourself. They defeated you because you were alone."

Aizen shook his head.

"I was not alone. I had the hogyoku."

"Yes," Byakuya said, nodding, "And the hogyoku senses the desires within one and brings about the reality. You used this to increase your own powers. And despite all of your words about reliance and trust being things that cowards and weak people do, you relied on and trusted the hogyoku, did you not?"

"That is different," Aizen explained, "The hogyoku was a tool. It brought me to the grandest extreme of my powers."

"And that was not enough to give you the victory."

"No. I was not strong enough and it rejected me," Aizen said with certainty.

"Did it?" Byakuya asked, "Or did the hogyoku sense something within you that you did not sense within yourself...did not sense it...or did not want to see it, perhaps?"

"You are not serious, ne?" Aizen asked, smirking, "You are not telling me that..."

"Ichigo Kurosaki came to Kuchiki Manor while recovering after your defeat," Byakuya went on, "And while he was here, he spoke of an oddity that he sensed in Kyoka Suigetsu."

"What was that?"

"Solitude," Byakuya said, meeting the other man's eyes directly, "Kyoka Suigetsu, the other part of your own soul longed for completion, for union with another soul, and you wanted that so badly that the hogyoku sensed your desire and granted it."

"Byakuya..."

"You didn't want to be the strongest. You didn't want power to be everything. You wanted communion with other souls."

"You are dreaming."

"Am I?" Byakuya inquired, raising an elegant eyebrow, "Soul resonance is a gift that is said to come directly from the soul king, himself. And he has gifted you with another soul. Mine. You are in the same position as that man of noble legend. Will you accept the king's gift, of will you cast it aside and reject it?"

Aizen's eyes look deeper into Byakuya's.

"Are you saying that you want me to...?"

"I am saying that I will make myself trust the soul king's wisdom, and even despising the man you are, I will accept the gift of our resonance."

"What does that mean?" Aizen asked, frowning.

"I will forsake all others and give myself only to you. I will bear your child that fate has placed within me."

Aizen smirked and shook his head.

"Is that all?" he asked mockingly, "Will you give me platitudes of love? Will you part your legs for me on my whim? Will you marry me, Byakuya? Do you know how ridiculous this is? Do you not see?"

Byakuya drew in his reiatsu tightly and climbed out of the bed. He started towards the door, then teetered slightly, but threw off Aizen's bracing hand and continued to the door, where he paused and looked back.

"Tell me where I will find that historical volume," he commanded Aizen.

The traitor smiled back at him and laughed softly.

"No. If you want that information, then you will take me with you to Las Noches and we will extract the volume together."

"You are not leaving this place."

"Then, you are not getting that history of the hollows."

"You would allow a new hollow god to be born?" Byakuya asked stridently, "You would risk...?"

"I would ask you the same thing," Aizen answered, smirking, "By refusing me, you endanger Soul Society. I do not think that your dear nakama would fare well if a hollow god was born, ne? To protect them, you must do as I say."

"Are you asking me to trust you?" Byakuya queried, sounding surprised, "I thought that you didn't believe in such things."

"Yes, but you do. And you are convinced now that we are fated to be together, ne? So...it stands to reason that, as resonant souls, we should go together to Las Noches...unless you want to release me to go alone, perhaps?"

"Not in this lifetime..."

"Ah...so, the only logical choice is for us to go to Las Noches together. I promise you. I will behave myself. I will find and extract the hollow history and will return with you to Kuchiki Manor after."

"And why should I trust your words?" Byakuya asked softly, "You tell lies easily, as often as it suits you, Sousuke."

"And you have no choice left, but to listen to me...if you want to keep this hollow god from coming into being, ne?"

Byakuya went silent for a time, his face paling even more as he considered the other man's words.

"You realize you are cornered," Aizen said, moving closer to him, "And you struggle to find a way around this, but there is no other way, Byakuya. If you plan to ever get your hands on that history, the only way to find it and retrieve it is to take me to Las Noches with you. The only way to end the threat of the hollow god is to place your faith in me. What other choices do you think that you have?"

Byakuya closed his eyes and lowered his head as Aizen reached him and stood quietly in front of him. He flinched as Aizen's hand touched his abdomen and the baby's reiatsu flickered in response.

"You want this child to live, ne?" Aizen said, moving so close that his breath tickled the noble's flushed earlobe, "Even though you know that this child was fathered by me and you despise me, you do not hold that against this small but of innocent life inside you, do you?"

Byakuya swallowed hard, his own hand joining Aizen's on his slim belly.

"Family," Aizen went on, "Friends...bonds. These things are sacred to you, are they not, Byakuya? So, this child that carries forward our legacy, is precious to you, is it not?"

"You are...unspeakably cruel," the noble managed, "to play on my emotions, Sousuke! But do not think that carrying your child has made me blind or stupid! You have no intention of helping me to stop this threat. You are angling to escape and to use the situation to your advantage!"

"And still, you have no choice but to take me with you, no? What will you do without that information? Granted, Kisuke Urahara is intelligent and he knows a great deal about the hollows, but I know infinitely more, and I can stop this hollow god from coming to be."

"You have the potential, I agree," admitted Byakuya, "But you have already displayed your reckless disregard for other souls. And whatever this child means to me, I cannot assume that the child means anything to you...that it will cause you to think twice before stabbing me in the back!"

"Oh," Aizen said, smirking, "You needn't worry, Byakuya. If I stab you, it will not be with stealth, nor will it come from behind. You will see the blade coming, but you will have no power to stop it. The end is inevitable. I will have what I want, and anything and anyone who stands in my way will fall."

"Which is why I will not trust you," Byakuya replied, stepping through the barrier.

He stopped just outside the room, facing away and closing his eyes against his rising emotions.

_Already this affects me._

_Already, the changes in my body and the soul resonance make me vulnerable to him. Why does this have to be? Why must I be connected to this...this monster? Why can't his seed just poison me and end this torment? He is cruel, hateful and horribly manipulative. If I take him to Las Noches, I will not come back alive._

_But if I do not find that volume, we will not be able to stop the hollow god from being born!_

_What do I do?_

"Byakuya," Aizen said quietly, watching as the noble turned and met his eyes, "Open the barrier. Take me with you to Las Noches."

_What can I do?_


End file.
